True Spirituality - How to Get God's Best for Your Life, Part 2

You want to change. Do you want to do life differently but you just can't seem to make it stick. Here's what you need to know there's a way to experience real and lasting life changed and it isn't about trying hard.

It's about a completely new way of thinking today and talk about how this process can begin in your life.

Stay with welcome to this Monday a vision of Living on the Edge with Chip Ingram Living on the Edge features the Bible teaching of tripping from daily discipleship program today just continues a series of relevant explaining how to get God's best for your life and you know it may not be as complicated as you thought. Just before you started.

Let me encourage you to try using chips, message notes, chips, notes, containers, outline Scripture references and much more. Quick download when you go to LivingontheEdge.org just click listen now if you have a Bible open it now to Romans chapter 12 storage for part two of his message how to get God's best for your life is interesting you think this is a new if you take the lust of the flesh, less the eyes and the pride of life, and if we could take a video camera back to Genesis 3, Adam and Eve, and you study the passage very carefully.

Adam and Eve are how are they tempted lust of the flesh plus the eyes, pride of life take a video camera out of time. Go over to Jesus with Satan in Matthew chapter 4, and he's been tempted in you three temptations housing tempted the flesh, less the eyes, pride of life.

How did he win they lost he won why it is written, it is written, it is written each time from memory, he reached back into Deuteronomy and the light came down enough that out with the truth and so Matthew 446 he answered Satan and said it is written, man should not live by bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God. You cannot experience God's best for your life without making this truth a part of your experience on a very regular basis.

You don't have the power I don't have the power you must take the raw material of God's written word and get it into your mind and and share it with other people's of the spirit of God can take the written word and make it the living word and change you and change your desires in ways that you can understand it supernatural that the apostle Paul say it's not only supernatural but it's a process does not like you can just turn switching down like Jesus. Clinical what's he saying second printing. Three. Tina put the passage there, but we all speaking of difference tween the old covenant and the new covenant between you know that the law what was given in Sinai and now with the spirit living in us, but we all, with unveiled faces beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord.

Notice the tents of this verb are being transformed how from glory to glory, justice from the Lord, the spirit he saying Moses when he was up on the mount with God. See you become like whoever you hang out with.

After 40 days hang out with God. He just glowed. He just radiated with the glory of God. And so when he came down. People can take it so he put a veil over his face. We could talk to and then in his hypocrisy when it started to fade. He kept the veil on because he wanted people to think he still had none of us ever do that course we don't do any minute image management or the sort of things with you but Moses did. And Paul says you know we with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror is not directed we get these reflections and snapshots. In moments where Jesus reveals himself in a passage comes out of the word and you're in a Bible study and someone speaks a word or accept you in a way that you never been accepted and you are vulnerable or your supported or someone in love actually rebukes you and calls you on the carpet for something that in your heart. You've known and you realize that open rebuke is better than love concealed and you find a safe place and can't change issue, but it's from glory to glory. That's like four steps forward two steps backward were all in process and notice who brings about the change from the Lord, the spirit and so here's the key. What I want to get review stop allowing the world to conform you start being transformed.

Here's what I want to camp on how what's your part. We said we said we can't change ourselves. Allow yourself to be transformed.

How here's our part, the renewing of our mind mind renewal. I think has three key components. The first component of mind renewal is renewing your mind is a continual refocus of the Romans 12 one perspective.

Colossians 3 says, set your mind on the things that are above, none of the things that are on earth it's it's it's a worldview it's a mindset that has eternity in mind, it has Christ in mind that what matters in mind to see when you come to that moment Risa got them all and I will do whatever it's authentic it's real and sincere.

You make great decisions and that moment but then there's Monday morning right and that was to football games. An argument with your roommate or your wife with your husband and the kid who treated you dirty boss wasn't very nice ago in a different person shows up after that right and so you renew your mind to keep that focus in all of us have different issues that we face that keep us conform to the world. Let me give an example.

As I grew up in my home, my family of origin. I have one you have one.

The enemy uses the world.

In some ways in my life different than yours. I mean II there's people can walk into a bar love friends have no problem never think about this, this, that my dad was an alcoholic, alcohol shaped our home, there are some people that you're not performance oriented it all and you are just balanced and laid-back and you go to work to shut it off. No problem.

You're not a people pleaser. You know you're just so healthy relationally and emotionally. And I envy you. And so I realize that I was a workaholic that I was insecure that I was always trying to please people. And then after I got married I was very insensitive to my wife. Other than that, as a Christian I was really doing well now I'm dead serious. I mean, I will. I didn't have a porn addiction. I wouldn't put in cocaine up my nose what okay but I'm saying those were real and when I I started reading the Bible. Psalm I want to follow Jesus and I kept trying hard I tried hard not to be workaholic. I tried not to be insecure.

I tried to be more sensitive.

My wife on my best days and I'm pretty discipline willpower. I can only keep that up about two weeks because I didn't understand. Transformation isn't about just trying hard. It's renewing your mind and so I wrote down on some cards the truth and now I prayed.

I asked God doesn't mean there's not self and of course I had to make effort, but for example I thought my can be insecure my whole life, or my gonna get my mind renewed and so I wrote down this on a card I read it in the morning the night put in my pocket read multiple times a day. I'd like to be more authentic in every aspect of my life unites trying to please everyone. I am what I am by the grace of God and his grace didn't proofing toward me, but I labored more than all of them yet. Not me, but Christ in me. You know, when you keep reading over a like to be more authentic in every relationship you know what happens. That gets in your mind, you catch yourself when you're posing you catch yourself image managing and God begins to birth Risa you know I think I'm disco like God made me go a long way to go. Transformation of my people pleasing coming anybody here ever struggle with like everyone ask you to do this. Neither feel guilty if you don't you're trying to do everything your multitasking and if you're up early in your back late and you know I wrote this on a card I want to stop caring what others think and apply myself in my schedule to what will make me the best I can be to honor God the most. I want to grow free of the invisible expectations that I allow to hinder my joy, my freedom, my schedule for pursuing the best these invisible like I had this gun to my head, still struggle some, but if you live your life to please people will kill you as the world so you refocus my next one was on none my workaholism I just thought working a lot performing getting stuff done. I got approval and so that was how I did everything I even did the ministry like that and so I wrote on this card.

I read it over I want I want to learn. This is almost sick to have to learn this. I want to learn to take time and schedule an enjoyable fun refreshing activities without feeling guilty about them or caring what other people think anybody here feel like you should have more margin than you not enjoying life enough this work work work and you can do that later. But you do so focused and so geared and you pick up your kids and your on your phone, and everybody's kind and interruption. My final one that I get what I'm telling you, I just I can bring this over what happened was I got discomfited my schedule. Pretty soon I can feel guilty about having fun. Pretty soon I thought I had fun enriching relationships and when I came to work. It didn't take as much time and was like wow this must be a part of God's plan. Finally, let's with my wife. I realize I was insensitive and so I wrote on this card. My desires to love Teresa sacrificially in in a way that makes sense to her teaching every day as I did. I just can't bring that over and a weird thing happened.

I started seeing little times on this day and on Sunday night and on this day, I could be more sacrificial lead me from glory to glory and plenty relapses.

But are you seeing out works you seeing how you refocus your mind gets renewed second things I will tell you it's a battle renewing your mind always involves a battle the spiritual life. The battle for your soul primarily is happening between your ears. The apostle Paul would say in seven printings 1045 the weapons of our warfare listen that language is a battle for us all the weapons of our warfare are divinely powerful for the pulling down of strongholds and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God people pleasing workaholism having possessing working like crazy, accumulating, compressing, image management addictions. The weapons of our warfare to talk about the power of the word of God, community, fasting, prayer coming, the world's powerful there's a battle and is for your soul. There's a reason why the second most optimal time for couples or divorce is about between 20 and 25 years. She buys the lie that is me and the kids and all that I do for them. He buys a lie that someday someone if I can work work work do do do do and then they wake up, 20, 25 years. They don't know each other they not shared anything he's feels middle-aged, like he doesn't have any more. What makes them feel like you might have. It is some young, good looking chick is interesting got the money can pay his way try make it happen is that stuff either online or actual in the office and she starts realizing I don't look the way I used to look at where attractive and she signs up and get the personal trainer and now she's gonna go at it again and they don't have anything and they both bought a lie in these to teach a Sunday school class been married 30 years and their kids now young adult group in that home and mom and dad divorced. What in the world. I guess this Jesus stuff is true. That's reality. People that's for some of you that your experience. The third thing you need to remember is that renewing your mind supernatural with the work of the spirit, renew your reviewing cards, reading the Bible. Doing this thing that I got news for you the spirit of God has to take the word of God and do something in you. All of these things are about a heart love relationship with him. Romans eight says the mind set on the flesh is death, the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace.

And so, in summary, limit, just tell you, for me, for you. For every believer. You are what you eat. You are what you eat, physically, and you are what you eat, spiritually, and Ethel actually you tell me how much time on your phone.

How much time and video games. How many movies you watch and the messages in those movies time what what are you putting into your mind over against how much truth.

How much of God's word. How much renewing relationships and you know what plug plug plug plug is pretty easy. I can tell you your lifestyle because you are what you eat. So my question is what your diet are you getting Dot's best not let me let me walk through now and give you some very practical specific ways to renew your mind because it's one thing those of the principal that's the truth. Here's some practical methods for renewing your mind to say no to the world.

Say yes to God first hearing God's word. Romans 1017 says faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God you have on a regular basis, you must hear God's word. It verse faith. One way to do that is. This is a novel idea for some of you come to church regularly. On the down on you. I just first three years as a Christian if I made it twice a month on high five and myself to go to. I never did that before second is use your time in the car wisely hear God's word.

My seminary training hasn't stopped. Second, read God's word. Revelation 13 says blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of the prophecy, and heed the things which are written in it. The time is near and in your notes.

If if you don't know much about the Bible and need some structure and a plan first 15 years at least. I was a Christian. I read the daily walk Bible and and I just tell you it was just like okay here's the structure is what it means. Here's an overview but you dig in for yourself or for go on the Internet there's enough reading plans just use logon on the App Store Bible. Believe me this study. Second Timothy 215 says be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman that need not be ashamed handling accurately the word of truth, and you'll notice that I have this a little bit later but this is a little tool to help you study and take this take this really well. God wants the best for you. Some of us have been so trained. We eat all processed food. Can you imagine if you ate just only processed food instead of the organic real good stuff for the picture that comes to my mind.

Some of you some that processed cheese and a ticket on that class and it didn't matter know where this is been well it's it's a good start right but processed spiritual food is like there's a little book and it's a good little book and it has two or three verses, and then someone who study lot tells you little inspiring story and tell you a little something about this tutorial versus an says, and now here's what you might do and you referred like it takes almost 3 minutes to read these little things and they go. Oh Jesus.

Jesus help me, help me really value.

I really renew my mind.

Now I spent you know 40 minutes and Wall Street Journal. But now I spent my for five minutes what I know is what someone else thinks of that passage little card is how you can study God's word on your own. I learned this from a missionary about 30 years ago.

I think it was Brazil's call.

The two Pro at method and that's just an acronym and unlocking to go through it all, other than just to say if you would choose a New Testament book.

The book of John, the book of Mark, one of the small ones, and just read a paragraph or maybe two and the P pray God, please help me.

The second P preview it, read it quickly just to get a feel it's all written on here and then the are is read it slowly and methodically, then the always read it one more time and underline. Maybe words that are like the thoughts that you have a then is that what application from this paragraph is God showing me then realizing since I don't have the power to do it. You pray again God you help me to it says be generous in this passage that we you help me be generous in some way specifically today and then the tea is tell someone is just a very simple way to study. Here's what I can tell you. Processed food is helpful and if you're just beginning.

That's fine when you are tempted sexually. When you want to break out of habit patterns when there's addictions when there's a crisis in your marriage when you got a kid is going through a terrible time trying to cling onto God, you have to have them speak directly from his word to you because that's where convictions come from. It's great that those people who wrote those little devotionals. That's what they believe what you believe and what you believe under pressure. It's burst and study the next is memorization. Notice it says, Psalm 119 911. How can a young man a young woman keep your way pure by guarding it or keeping it according to your word. Your word I have treasured or hid in my heart that I might not sin against the I don't know if there's any greater return.

The Christian life than memorizing Scripture or one that's probably more neglected I can tell you briefly story. I was, you know, in school, and I think I've shared it with her is like four girls to every guy and started to grow, so now it's been a Christian like three years since Aleman read the Bible like three or four mornings a week and start to go to church, which is really radical for me and I'm making progress in the number of areas but not in one particular. My roommate is going to go to this Christian summer something where you know it's a parachurch organization that they go there for training and I get a job and share Christ and learn all good stuff and I didn't want any part of that. But before he could go. He had to memorize the 60 versus was called the topical memory system put out by a group called the navigators and I'm just I've always been very competitive. Along with being insecure and so he left the room one day and I just thought as he was can run memorize one or two verses a week and had it planned out 30 weeks.

I just thought you chomp. So my goal secretly he leaves. I literally copied all the verses down the little cards. In fact, I still visible car.

I still have and I got the 60 versus down and then I had an amazing gift. I had a psychology professor that was about 99 years old been tenured for like 40 years because he could get a job anywhere and so he would drone on and on.

So I would put my psychology book up an hour every day I memorize one verse. The first day, so I decided I'm going 60 days and can be done, can have imperfect here was the goal is it's okay Bob, how's it going with that thing that your training program you want to go ahead and start and listen versus not just getting a bank name Pam Pam Pam 60 in a rodeo.

Is that sick or what I mean you know memorizing God's word to impress someone out of your ego and your pride well okay to show that God can use anybody even in our nuttiness. It's day 21 and I mean I'm I'm like getting into this so I can still remember hearing my cleats when I was running to baseball practice like this you know putting in the back.

Day 21 I walk around the corner, there's a very beautiful young coed involved in ministry and what men will tell you if they're honest, is it we struggle deeply with lust and I was struggling very deeply. The external things were changing.

But my eyes were going everywhere in my mind was going all, places, and when you lust for a girl. It's not a Christian you feel guilty when you lust for a very godly girl, you feel really guilty and and so all know this is her and so turned around the corner. We started to talk had little conversation. We got done. I remember walking wagon about four steps I did last night. I didn't know the correlation. I have no idea. I did know about minor know I do know how change. All I knew was following Jesus is really hard and a lot of it's not working very well for me. Some things undeniably are radically changing but some other things. I just know I was stuck forever day 21 I memorize 21 versus WordPerfect and what I didn't understand was the supernatural work got it taken the written word made at the living word and change my want to use in my attitudes and I with my eyes looked at his sister in Christ in the eye and a new relationship with women completely change my life when I got to 60 versus I was like a drug. I couldn't stop that. I started memorizing chapters and I put women on topics together and for the next five years, probably more than anything else. I memorized God's word and I will tell you all I can tell you how I looked at the world was completely different completely different and there was a level of peace and joy. Remember, and have a question on the praying, as I was praying, bring the first that's the answer I'd be in a conversation and I would know what to say or what's going on, bring a verse in and all of a sudden I realized we have the mind of Christ Bible says we have the mind of Christ.

But most of us don't know what his mind is, but it's in his word. The final thing he says is that you meditate. This isn't like we do all these little things become a little religious robot. The drives of the people crazy me know some people like that missing about how many verses are in the word, meditate here.

It's the idea of ruminating it's it's a picture. Cal has four stomachs of the cow chews on some truth swallows it regurgitates swallows it regurgitates that this is reading God speak to the reverse in your writing on the card and stick in your pocket and then as you're driving to work. You try and see if you can remember it or so. You are the light in your you know your your doctor's office and you just bring it up and something happens. This book of the law shall not depart out of your mouth but you should meditate on it day and night in order that what so you can obey for then you have be prosperous and have good success and so on the back.

I put a few tools that I think would be very helpful to you. Can I just close with this, why, why, why I do this I mean if you're listening you're thinking yourself. You mean I'm gonna limit my games and limit my movies and limit this and limit that limit that limit and say no to some stuff that just a part of my life to start saying yes to God's word and do something.

Probably some of you never highlighted that so that you get the best from God so that you can experience and taste what he wants. Normally, for every person is good is good. Means winsome beautiful attractive richly satisfying. Well well pleasing pleasing to him and well pleasing to you.

Perfect. There's a will that's according to specific design just for you that when you fulfill it you will explode with joy live with peace how that happened know I will be conformed to this world.

Yes, be transformed by the renewing of my mind, so that would you like that. As I close as to questions as you could feel overwhelmed. I don't want that. What one thing do you sense God is saying you need to say no to what's what's going into minor what relationship or what. What's one thing to lose your heart away from God and just say first step know and what one thing of all the curing, reading, studying, memorizing, meditating, is wrong. Different places one thing you sense God would want you to take a baby step and begin to renew your mind.

Lord I pray that you show every single person right now. What they need to say no to that is drawing their heart away from your deep abiding amazing love and Lord what you want them to say yes to in order to enjoy and experience your grace, your goodness will you please do that. Lord and then we you birth faith in people right now even given the idea of what one person could they share this with an and asked him a couple days we you give me a call when you text me and I'll tell you Helen doing.

Oh God, what would happen if hundreds of thousands of people started to experience your good well pleasing and perfect.

That's where Jesus with some specific application for today's teaching but if you're just joining us, you're listening to Living on the Edge with Chip Ingram chip stock today is from his series true spirituality becoming a Romans 12 Christian the six part series is about how to move your relationship with God from an antagonistic performance oriented existence to a loving grace filled delightful life. True spirituality is the core discipleship teaching of Living on the Edge in a chip clearly lays out the profile of what an authentic follower of Jesus looks like. This series is available in several formats, including streaming video with study guide for video previews more format options and ordering details.

Just check it out online at http://livingontheedge.org and because we know you're gearing up for fall groups. The group study resources for true spirituality are significantly discounted. Let me say that again for a limited time, the group study resources for true spirituality are significantly discounted. So now would be a great time to jump online and get your group resources ordered. You'll find everything you're looking for@livingontheedge.org or just give us a call at 1-888-333-6003 will trip I know are committed to helping people learn how to follow Jesus. I mean genuinely in the day to day and hearing this message on the radio or the app is a great way to take in what you gave us today, but what you see as the biggest benefit to doing this series is a small group with a few friends all day.

I will just tell you right now when they watch it with some other people. Like in a small group. The lights come on and they finally get other people have struggles other people have problems is pretty normal.

While I had no idea this is how it really works and so it's in that small group resource where we see the real dramatic life change occur. I think one of the things that I'm most excited about is the opportunity create the small group resources so that people do them in community and I just want you to know that there is no way we could do that if we didn't have ministry partners who financially invest in creating small group resources, so I guess what I would say is thank you ministry partners for your financial investment and we would love to create more and new resources for people and that happens when you invest.

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I have three questions for you, and I think you know what they are because we sort addressed them already, but I want to get out of you, in the back of your mind thinking I was talking to someone else because I'm actually talking to you. Fact is, not even me. It's God and here's question number one what you need to say no to what person what relationship, what activity, what are you viewing that you just need to say today. No I can't go there anymore. Second, what he needed say yes to what needs to get into your mind, your heart, your life that you're not getting right now and maybe it's not time in God's word to word sort of a quick thing.

Or maybe it's not time in a local church, work, or maybe it's not time actually memorizing a couple specific passages that address the biggest struggle in your life because it's when the word of God gets in your heart and life that the spirit of God ignites with power to give you victory over some of those things.

So what you need to say no to what you need to say yes to and here's 1/3 question who today are you going to text or call or Facebook or email to say. Will you help me.

I'm saying noted this and yes to something else that I can't do it alone. You ready you answer those and God will show up.

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True spirituality have everyone here. This is the jury saying thanks for listening to this Edition of Living on the Edge